Saved! Is a Religious Satire Worth Revisiting 20 Years Later By Saved! went under the radar for many people, with several who saw it saying they were surprised at how engaging it was, how the story spoke to them, or even just calling it “cute.” For most, it looked like a typical coming-of-age high school comedy, where different viewers’ mileage may vary on the raunchiness, but here, the religious twist offered more substance, and much of the comedy was clever. Saved is irreverent, but its brush with blasphemy has a purpose, which means even two decades later, it is still worth talking about.
High School is tough already, but add in the pressures of being a good Christian and worrying about eternal damnation—that’s brutal. For the extreme Jesus Freaks like Mary, it’s incredibly hard to stay on top and keep everything together, especially when her perfect boyfriend confides in her that he may be gay, and she thinks Jesus charges her with saving him. Believing her only option is to have sex with him, she winds up pregnant, putting her at odds with the elite Christian Jewels girl group and their leader – her best friend – the rotten Hilary Faye.
As Mary tries to keep her pregnancy a secret, drama escalates within the Christian school, new friends are made and battle lines are drawn as Hilary Faye attempts to save all their souls. This is a smaller independent film that has a lot going for it. First up is an incredible cast of sassy characters, portrayed by excelle.